Stubbings Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Stubbings Infant School School Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 8BP

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Outcome

Stubbings Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that Stubbings Infant School is a positive and fun place in which to learn. This confident outlook is shared by the pupils and was experienced by the inspection team. In this small school, pupils get to know each other well. Staff know pupils exceptionally well and respond to their individual needs with great care.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and parents both report that there is no bullying. Pupils told inspectors that sometimes a few pupils are unkind but that their teachers always deal with the situation well. Kindness is promoted at this school. As such, pupils reflect positively on the kindness of others in school. There is a well-considered approach to help pupils to manage their own behaviour and reactions. This helps them to understand their emotions well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very positive about the school. All those who responded to Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View, would recommend the school. They comment on its caring ethos and sense of community. One parent summed up the feelings of many in saying, ‘I think Stubbings is a really lovely, welcoming school. Staff are friendly and approachable. They care very deeply about the pupils.’

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is a priority for leaders at the school. They have invested in a new programme for teaching early reading. This is having a positive impact. Staff have received extensive training and have the confidence and expertise to teach pupils to read. Leaders ensure that pupils read themselves and that they are read to every day. Pupils love reading and enjoy a wide range of stories from a range of cultures. Teachers read to pupils with real gusto. Pupils have access to many books, including those in the school’s well-resourced library. However, pupils who are still learning the early skills of reading do not have sufficient access to books which closely match their phonics knowledge.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

There is a well-planned curriculum for mathematics. Pupils showed a strong understanding of mathematics in Years 1 and 2. Teachers use ‘flashbacks’ to make sure 28 June 2022

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that they keep returning to mathematical operations so that pupils’ retain their mathematical knowledge. However, pupils had limited opportunities to apply their knowledge when solving problems. In Reception, children were less confident in their knowledge of mathematics.

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Pupils were able to talk with enthusiasm about what they have learned about in geography in Year 2. Their studies of cities, town and villages have enabled them to compare landmarks in Hebden Bridge with those they might see in London. Leaders recognise that a next step is to ensure that the curriculum in the early years aligns more closely with that from Year 1 onwards.

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Leaders ensure that pupils have a wide range of experiences, including trips. A visit is planned for pupils to visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park next month. There are other activities, such as forest school, where pupils work outdoors, enjoying the enriched curriculum. The after-school sports clubs have recently restarted. Leaders have thought carefully about the experiences that pupils may have missed recently and how they can make up for this.

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Pupils behave well. There is no disruptive behaviour, although a few pupils do not always engage with their learning as well as they could. In these instances, pupils become easily distracted. Staff bring them back to their learning in a positive manner. In early years, behaviour is not as good when children are not clearly directed to tasks.

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Staff are proud to work at Stubbings Infant School. They recognise the contribution of governors, who show a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that ensuring the books used by early readers match their knowledge of phonics, giving pupils more opportunity to solve problems in mathematics and further developing the curriculum in the early years may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The well-being of pupils is at the heart of all that leaders do. As a result, there is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders ensure that all of the correct procedures are followed when appointing staff. Thorough records are kept of any concerns, and referrals are made if they are required. Staff receive regular training and understand their responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. Pupils are taught about keeping themselves safe, including when online. Governors have good oversight of this important work.

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 Leaders have carefully developed their approach to the teaching of early reading. However, they have not ensured that all the books that pupils read are appropriately matched to their current knowledge. This means that pupils struggle to read some of the words that they encounter. Leaders should ensure that all the resources that pupils are expected to read on their own and that they access in school, and those that they take home, are aligned to their abilities.  Leaders have developed a sequenced curriculum for mathematics. However, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to develop a full understanding through applying their knowledge through reasoning and problem-solving. Leaders must ensure that these opportunities are provided so that pupils understand mathematical concepts and operations more fully.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour, or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 28 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227042 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Hebden Bridge Schools Federation.  The headteacher took up post in January 2021.  The school’s population has declined in recent years.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders and other members of staff. The lead inspector met with those responsible for governance, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke to representatives of the local authority by telephone. 28 June 2022

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 The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour both in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They gathered pupils’ views from both formal and informal discussions.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspectors checked the school’s single central record, met with the school’s designated safeguarding leader, and reviewed safeguarding information.  The inspectors met with parents and carers. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s parent survey, Ofsted Parent View. The inspectors also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Andrew Cummings, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Linda Collier Ofsted Inspector 28 June 2022

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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